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 World Cup 2018 
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Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2013 9:38 pm
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Hey guys, as we had the same thread four years ago, I thought it would be a good idea to have one for the 2018 WC as well ;)
What teams do you consider as favorites on the cup? Who will be the stars of the tournament?
Russia opened the tournament with a 5:0 against Saudi Arabia. Beautiful goals by Cheryshev, especially the second one ;)


Thu Jun 14, 2018 5:38 pm
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I’ve never hoped for something as much as Argentina getting eliminated, it would be absolutely hilarious. Amazing how a team with so much attacking talent can produce such a pathetic performance

Also what an amazing player Modric is, imo he's been the best midfielder in the world for the last 3 or 4 years!


Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:05 pm
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Location: Serbia
Quote:
My favorites for winning the tournament are Argentinians, after awful performances in qualifiers, I expect them to show the real strength in Russia.


Well, I really can say dumb stuff :lol: :lol: :lol:


Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:31 pm
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This is the result of many factors the responsibility is of Sampaoli and the players (and also of AFA)

Regarding Sampaoli, I think he made a lot of mistakes since he took over as coach

He wanted to implement a way to play in such a short period of time.
These players are not used to playing in a defensive line of 3 men.
Tagliafico sometimes played as a kind of SB / CB, Mercado never saw him play CB

Mascherano is a slow player that the only thing he can offer is to cover spaces and do the dirty work, He need a player next to him that can distribute the ball and fast like Lo Celso (Biglia and Enzo Perez do not have those skills)
Meza is a promising player but he still has to mature more, today he did what he could

Messi was always marked by 3 players, limiting his movements and his participation in the match

Since the match began it was very dangerous to play passes with the goalkeeper in a line of 3 men and with the Croats pressing, the result was what happened in the 2nd half

Pavon, Lo Celso and Armani should have played with the previous formation.

Armani must have been a starter, he comes from two spectacular years, being a champion of Copa Libertadores, Caballero is even starter in Chelsea?

We can experiment with formations and players, like friendlys in the middle of a World Cup

Partialy agree on this -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ2Tpq525yw


Fri Jun 22, 2018 1:14 am
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Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2013 4:26 am
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Location: Aragua De Barcelona, Venezuela
I can only quote my little chat with fellow Catimba77 :mrgreen:

El Capo wrote:
77Catimba77 wrote:
I believe that Argentina is in their third WC with same players like Mascherano, Di María, Aguero And specially Messi, so its the last chance to win the cup for this generation. So I think they are favourites because experience counts a lot in this tournament.


:mrgreen:


Fri Jun 22, 2018 2:25 am
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El Capo wrote:
I rather want Gómez to be back instead of playing with Werner again. :mrgreen:


But then,the Swedish defenders are too slow, so maybe Timo may have a better chance than against Mexico.

According to Bild rumours the following players could be out: Plattenhardt, Werner, Özil/Draxler and Khedira.
Players who could play instead of them: Hector, Gomez, Reus and Gündogan.
If this is true, our possible formation would look like that:
-------------------------Neuer-------------------------
----Kimmich----Hummels----Boateng----Hector----
--------------Gündogan-------Kroos-----------------
-------Müller--------Özil/Draxler-------Reus---------
------------------------Gomez------------------------
Tbh I'd put Müller at SS and Draxler as RWF but I don't expect such a move from Löw..
Regarding Argentina: the question that I already asked myself in first game and now ask myself again: how is it possible that Dybala only comes from the bench while Meza is a starter?


Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:56 am
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Problem with Dybala is that he occupies the exact same areas as Messi does, which means they just get in each other’s way. That and he’s never really performed well for Argentina. I think the main problem is the lack of mobility in the midfield: all of Argentina’s technical players are quite lazy and not particularly fast. They really miss a dynamic, complete midfielder like Vidal, Nainggolan, Rakitic or De Bruyne. They have nobody that can carry the ball from back to front and they constantly get outnumbered in midfield while defending because they have nobody tracking back and harassing the opposition.

Yesterday’s game was completely lost in the midfield. Rakitic, Modric and Brozovic completely overran them.


Fri Jun 22, 2018 11:52 am
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StuartBannigan wrote:
Problem with Dybala is that he occupies the exact same areas as Messi does, which means they just get in each other’s way. That and he’s never really performed well for Argentina. I think the main problem is the lack of mobility in the midfield: all of Argentina’s technical players are quite lazy and not particularly fast. They really miss a dynamic, complete midfielder like Vidal, Nainggolan, Rakitic or De Bruyne. They have nobody that can carry the ball from back to front and they constantly get outnumbered in midfield while defending because they have nobody tracking back and harassing the opposition.

Yesterday’s game was completely lost in the midfield. Rakitic, Modric and Brozovic completely overran them.


Lo Celso was benched, he was the right one to be next Mascherano since he can keep translate the ball up front faster

Again that 3 line man defense was our dead, we never played with that before and also the choosen ones are not CB's - Mercado & Tagliafico - also Acuña and Salvio are not WB's they don't track back to help our defensive line.

gurkenjoe93 wrote:
Regarding Argentina: the question that I already asked myself in first game and now ask myself again: how is it possible that Dybala only comes from the bench while Meza is a starter?

Meza can play in several positions, he was playing in many positions linking up well with the attack, about Paulo - Stuart already said why he doesn't play in the starting 11.


Fri Jun 22, 2018 1:33 pm
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StuartBannigan wrote:
Problem with Dybala is that he occupies the exact same areas as Messi does, which means they just get in each other’s way. That and he’s never really performed well for Argentina.

How is he supposed to perform well if he never gets a chance? Both Dybala and Messi can play on the right side as well, it's Sampaioli's fault if he uses average players from Argentine league instead. But what to expect from a coach that doesn't even nominate Icardi?
Btw, what a performance by Crymar today. One of the most overrated and most unfair players in the history of football..


Fri Jun 22, 2018 1:56 pm
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Yay, pity for Navas :(

gurkenjoe93 wrote:
How is he supposed to perform well if he never gets a chance?


The qualifiers.


Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:08 pm
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gurkenjoe93 wrote:
How is he supposed to perform well if he never gets a chance? Both Dybala and Messi can play on the right side as well, it's Sampaioli's fault if he uses average players from Argentine league instead.


Dybala has had plenty of chances in qualifiers and friendlies, he hasn’t shown anything to suggest he should start. Even if you play one on the right, they will always drift into the middle and cut onto their left foot, they are just far too similar players to play together. It’s the same reason why Gerrard and Lampard never worked together for England, or why Kroos and Modric couldn’t play in a midfield two for Madrid. Team balance should always take priority over just stuffing all your best players in the same team...

Not saying that Sampaoli is doing a good job though, because obviously he isn’t. But Lanzini getting injured definitely didn’t help, and Argentina’s team is just painfully average apart from Messi, Aguero, Dybala and Higuain (and the last three never even play well for them). I also don’t see how Icardi would help either, he isn’t better than Aguero or Higuain, is a very similar player to Gonzalo in that he doesn’t offer much apart from goals, and is a bad influence in the locker room. His ability isn’t worth all the baggage he brings and how unpopular he is with the rest of the squad..


Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:38 pm
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StuartBannigan wrote:
gurkenjoe93 wrote:
How is he supposed to perform well if he never gets a chance? Both Dybala and Messi can play on the right side as well, it's Sampaioli's fault if he uses average players from Argentine league instead.


Dybala has had plenty of chances in qualifiers and friendlies, he hasn’t shown anything to suggest he should start.

Plenty of chances? He only played eleven times for the NT and only one match for 90 minutes, how can this be called "plenty of chances" :roll:
Same goes for Icardi, who surely isn't worse than Agüero and Higuain (especially in the air he is far better than Pipita and Agüero): Icardi was only left out of the squad because Messi doesn't like him, everybody knows that..


Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:58 pm
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Dybala did have many chances, in all the minutes he could play he never show anything good or interesting. To be honest most of the players on this team have not been consistent in the last games.

About Icardi topic, that rumor is bullshit, when he played in the qualifiers, he did not show anything, absolutely nothing. He wasnt taken into account because he did not want to go, he gave a stupid excuse not to go on a friendlies tour and his wife also created an unnecessary scandal, if he did not go to the world cup it was because he want it.


Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:40 pm
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You can’t just keep playing someone in the hope he’ll play well, especially when Argentina were in danger of not qualifying at all, he has to earn his place the same way as everyone else, and as I said, he hasn’t done anything in the time he’s been given. Other players have done more in even less game time.

Anyway, Dybala wouldn’t have changed anything on the pitch, he would have just been crowded out and physically dominated the exact same as Messi was. If even Messi, who is a master at finding tiny pockets of space to work with, could barely touch the ball, I don’t see how Dybala could. It was everything behind the forward line that was the problem. Croatia have possibly the best midfield in the tournament, and on paper probably a better team than Argentina, so I don’t think it’s even that surprising a result.

Overall I think it’s easy without context to say that Dybala should have played, but it really isn’t easy to just completely change your tactics to accommodate a new player that is already extremely similar and might negatively impact your best player. It might have been even worse if Dybala had played, you never know...


Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:48 pm
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Sampaoli is a mess.
Calling injured or almost injured players (Lanzini, Romero, Agüero, Rojo, Biglia etc).

Calling players without baggage in their teams this year (Again Romero, Caballero, Mascherano, Rojo)

Not calling players because doesn't like Messi and company or calling them too late (Icardi, Dybala, Armani, Squelotto)

Throwing out players like Garay, Icardi for "wrongs" behaviors but forgiven Higuain for not going to a friendly matches.


Given 40 matches a players who always play bad like Higuain, Di Maria, Mascherano. And just 2 or less to other players...

So the list of 23 is totally a crap.
That is way Simeone didn't want to be the Manager or DT, for the childish behavior of the group (the same players who played bad since 3 years ago).

What we can expect if Players controls all the process and the DT is a clown without authority.


Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:11 pm
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Argentina-Nigeria may be often rivals, but secretly they are the best buddies around :mrgreen:


Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:24 pm
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